Laojuntang

Laojuntang

Laojuntang is a cultural tourism attraction.

Langya Mountain is located in the western part of Yixian County, Baoding Region, Hebei Province. On Qipan Tuo of Langya Mountain stands an ancient temple, the renowned Laojuntang within a hundred-mile radius. It is said to be the place where the Supreme Old Lord refined elixirs. Since ancient times, many fascinating stories have been passed down from this site.

As early as the Warring States period, after King Zhao of Yan revived the state of Yan, he became complacent and arrogant, and even fantasized about attaining immortality. A group of flatterers among his followers, sensing his desire, advocated for the refinement of immortal elixirs for him to consume in hopes of achieving eternal life. The king believed them and sent people to find an ideal location for alchemy, eventually choosing the fairyland-like Langya Mountain. After selecting an auspicious date, the king personally ascended the mountain to worship the stars, moon, and sun from afar, then tasked alchemists with organizing the elixir refinement. The very spot where the worship ceremony was held is Laojuntang.

By the Tang Dynasty, a Taoist named Zhu Weng practiced in Laojuntang and learned the art of earth contraction. Upon returning home, his fellow villagers asked him to demonstrate his technique to broaden their horizons, but Zhu Weng refused. A brave man named Chen Shiming mocked him for being all talk, which provoked Zhu Weng into proving himself. One day, Zhu Weng invited Chen Shiming for a drink. After the gathering, Chen Shiming bid farewell and headed home. He had no choice but to return and ask Zhu Weng to reverse the earth contraction spell before he could get back home. Later, Zhu Weng traveled far and wide, using his powers to punish local tyrants and malicious landlords, and was deeply respected and beloved by the common people. It is said that the stone cave on the broken cliff west of Laojuntang was dug by Zhu Weng during his training. There is also another site: Laojuntang in the Wudang Mountain Scenic Area, historically also known as Laojun Hall. As the name suggests, it was a place dedicated to worshipping the Supreme Old Lord.

According to historical records, there were already Taoist structures here during the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty, which were renovated in the first year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, 54 halls and temple buildings still stood. Experts have noted that the original stone foundations of Laojuntang were grand in scale, but the existing structures on the site were likely built by local devotees and do not reflect the original appearance. This shows that the once-magnificent ancient architectural complex of Wudang Mountain has endured much over time, with only one-tenth of its former glory preserved today. Looking back, we can only imagine its past splendor.